Unexplainable, Strange, and Lovely
by NoelAnderson
Summary: Jason McCann wasn't shot and killed that day. Instead he is caught and put in a holding cell where he meets a strange girl, one only he can see. Better summary inside. on haitus
1. Andy Allen

Summary: Jason McCann was stopped that day instead of being shot and killed. He is brought into a holding cell while the police find a more permanent place for him to stay where he meets an odd girl, one only he can see. He soon falls for her as she sticks with him, and both lives are turned upside down.

Andy Allen was in an add situation: no one could see her and sometimes she could walk through solid objects. She is relieved when she finds a person who can see her, even if he is a delinquent in jail. She soon falls head over heels as both their lives get more and more confusing.

Now on with the story. Obviously I don't own CSI

She was surrounded by a never-ending black abyss. Suspended In a horrible nothingness. She was unable to speak, to feel, to taste, it was simply… empty. She was void of emotion. She was not scared or worried; she just was, existing but at the same time being non-existent. She couldn't remember what had happened or how she got there. It was like her mind was pushing the memories away. She didn't know where _there_ was. She _could_ remember certain things, for example her name and her life situation. Her name was Andy Allen, she was fifteen years old, and she happened to be an orphan. She lived in Nevada at the Maddison Sherwin permanent foster care house, her best friends name was Ria Heart and the last memory she could recall was of her and Ria walking home and then it all got fuzzy.

'How does a person end up like this?' She wondered, somehow still able to think. 'Am I dead?'

Time had no meaning in the strange place and she had no idea how long she was stuck there. It could have been years or it could have been hours. It didn't really make a difference.

After what could have been a long time she suddenly could feel again. Her emotions came rushing back and it was overwhelming. She felt all the emotions that she would have felt at the start. It felt as if she were get picked up and then it was like she was being squeezed through a small hole.

If it was possible her vision got even darker and she could feel a surface underneath her. Slowly, very slowly, she opened her eyes to a blinding light. Her eyes adjusted and she saw it was the sun.

She was lying on the sidewalk somewhere in the town she lived in. She knew she was still in Nevada and was relieved at the revelation; she probably wasn't far from the Maddison Sherwin.

A person she had never met before walked by her without so much as a glance her way.

Thinking that was strange she sat up. There were lots of people around her. They were acting like nothing odd was going on, like there wasn't a random girl sprawled out on the ground.

She stayed there like that for a minute, propped up on her elbows, waiting to see if anyone would notice. When no one did she started to panic. Why would no one look at her?

She looked down the street and saw a person walking straight at her. She stood up and waited to see what would happen and how the person would react.

The person looked right ahead, as if she weren't there, and as he got closer, she got more nervous.

She braced herself, expecting to be knocked to the ground, but the person walked right through her.

She screamed in shock and still no one noticed or even looked her way.

"Oh my gosh!" She exclaimed out loud in her anxiousness. "How is this happening? This isn't possible, stuff like this only happens in dreams!"

She pinched herself hard and felt pain, so she knew she wasn't dreaming. She noticed that when she touched herself she was solid, so she quickly walked over to the door to the general store and desperately tried to grab the handle. Her hand went right through. She took a deep breath and made to walk through the door completely, but instead she bounced off it and landed on her butt.

"Ow," She said holding her nose.

Inside the store she saw the owner look at the door in confusion and she knew that he had heard the impact, but he obviously didn't see her. He shrugged his shoulders and continued what he had been doing before.

Confusedly she got up and tried the doorknob again, but her hand went right through it.

She looked quizzically at her hand and hesitantly pressed it against the doors glass window. Her hand contacted the smooth surface and didn't go any further.

She sighed and let her arm fall to her side in resignation. She walked slowly down the street with her head bowed and her shoulders slumped, not even bothering to try and dodge the walking people, she just let them go right through her.

She had no idea what was going on with her, only that the situation seemed to have a mind of it's own, constantly changing like it was trying to confuse her. It was like she was a ghost, but it didn't _feel_ like that. She was positive that if she were dead she would know. Ghosts didn't get amnesia, she would remember her last moments, at least she thought she would have, obviously she wouldn't know. It's not like scientists have ever studied them or anything. If there even were ghosts, not many people knew they existed and those who believed they did were written off as psychos.

Maybe they were more sane then people thought.

She guessed that she had walked over halfway through town before she even bothered to look up. She was near the police station and local library. She was looking around when she noticed a police car pull in with its lights on and several escorts. Curiously she walked closer and watched. Two policemen came out of the first car, which seemed to be the one with the most focus, and forcefully pulled the third person out of the car. The people in the other cars either surrounded them or went inside the building ahead of them. The third person that had been in the first car was in handcuffs and was probably not much older than she was. He had messy skater boy hair and narrowed angry brown eyes that, in her opinion, still looked soft even in his anger. He had on a simple hoodie with jeans that looked a little rumpled, but generally clean.

He looked up and scanned his surroundings through the small crowd of people. She had expected his eyes to go right over her, to literally look right through her just like everyone else, but instead his eyes locked with hers.

Her eyes widened in shock. He could see her.

His eyes now held confusion. He didn't understand her surprise. The policeman behind him roughly pushed him forward, for he had paused when they had stared at each other, and his eyes turned angry again. They practically dragged him inside and after the door was closed she scrambled after them. This time when she ran at the door she actually went through instead of hitting it head on. Once inside she watched as some policemen pull the boy into a back room with a few cells in it and slam the bars shut. Outside the room was in chaos. All the people were speaking at once and all the voices meshed together. In the room with the cells in it, it was nice and quiet. As they were locking the cell door she walked up and held on to one of the bars, leaning forward. She was glad that the bar was solid in her grip, and she watched him. He was looking at the policemen and then at her in bewilderment. He obviously was wondering why they acted as though she wasn't there.

"McCann! What are you looking at?" One of the policemen demanded harshly.

The boys head swerved to look at him, but instead of answering he just scowled. Both policemen smirked and left to the loud and crowded front room. They were now left alone in silence.

"Who are you and why is everyone ignoring you?" He asked after a few minutes of silent staring.

"Good. You really can see me." She confirmed happily.

"What are you talking about?" He asked.

"So what's your name?" She asked him ignoring his last question.

His eyes narrowed once again.

"You answer first." He said stubbornly.

"I'm Andy, Andy Allen." She replied.

"My names Jason McCann." He answered reluctantly.

"What did you do to cause such a ruckus?" She asked curiously.

"Why should I tell you?" He questioned angrily.

"Ok chill, you don't have to answer. I'm just naturally curious. It is pretty surprising to see a kid your age being dragged into a police station and stuffed into a cell. Although right now I prefer being in here. It's much quieter." She said evenly.

"You didn't answer my first question." He reminded her, still on guard for some unknown reason. It probably had to do with him being in a cell.

"I can't really answer it, because I don't really know." She said truthfully.

"Well then try." He pressed.

She sighed and sat down; he followed her actions, her outside the cell and him inside. She knew she could probably go through the bars if she tried hard enough, but she didn't want to freak him out.

"Ok, I'll try. I do have a few theories…"


	2. Jason McCann

I was blinded by my anger. All of the police and CSI workers were going to pay. Especially Nick Stokes. He was the reason my brother was dead. He promised to keep him safe and he broke that promise. He unloaded his gun on him.

I shouldn't have warned him not to go to his home that day. It just made the others trust me less. They were the people like me, who either wanted revenge or just wanted the government to change. For me it was both. I wanted revenge for my brother and to get Ralf out of jail.

Ralf was like a father to me, I had never had a proper one, and he didn't deserve what he got. He didn't deserve jail.

I missed him a lot. If he had still been with us he would have been able to talk Alex out of all the bombings and he would still be alive today. He would still be with me.

When I had foolishly called Stokes to warn him I had used my cell phone and he had called back only a few moments ago. I knew he was trying to track me so I hung up and destroyed it with a baseball bat. Now Johnson and I were scrambling to get away before the police came down on us.

"McCann!" I heard Johnson yell from the other room in the crappy rundown house we were currently in. "Get out here we're leaving!"

We had been getting ready for another hit when Stokes had called. The reason we were even in the stupid house was because we needed to be hidden from the police and the detectives that suspected me. The house was the size of a shack and it was in the middle of the dessert near Las Vegas, so we would have a place to drive to if need be.

"I'm coming." I shouted back. There were three rooms in the house and I was currently in the one farthest back. I could only take so much of Johnson. He didn't like me because he thought I was a 'kid in an adults fight'. He treated me like I was incapable and stupid. I hated him.

I walked through the house and outside to the maroon van that belonged to Johnson. In my opinion using the van was incredibly stupid, because maroon vanes weren't really a common site. We stick out like a sore thumb.

"Get in the car already." Johnson said impatiently. He was already inside and had the car running.

"Calm down, I'm coming." I reassured irritably. He was really twitchy and anxious, as was I, but at least I wasn't freaking out about the situation.

"Lets just get out of here." He said quickly as soon as my door was shut he took off like a rocket.

"Jeez what's your problem?" I asked annoyed and holding tightly onto my seat.

"We have to get out of here fast. Who knows how long it will take for the cops to find us? I want to get somewhere safe." He replied.

"We'll be fine." I say, trying to calm myself more then him.

He turned and glares at me.

"This is your fault you know." He said accusingly.

"How so?" I ask not really caring.

"I thought you were smarter than your brother," he continued ignoring my question. "But then you had to go and make it personal."

"It's always _been_ personal." I replied angrily. "They killed my brother now they're going to pay."

"What you think you're the only one who's lost some one? I've had more friends bleed out in my arms in the middle of the darn sandbox then I can count, but at least I know what I'm fighting for: real freedom." Johnson said venomously.

"Stop treating me like I'm some kid! I brought _you_ in." I remind him.

"And I taught you everything you know you little punk." He exclaimed grabbing onto my shirt. I pushed his hand away and glared. "Not just how to make bombs, but how to bring this freedom fight home, stay alive, live to fight another day, and not go strength against strength and bring down the whole darn LVPD. Your just going to get us killed kid."

"I'm not afraid." I state confidently. Really I'm not. Alex gave his life for this cause so I will too, gladly.

We stared at each other for a minute, but suddenly we heard the unmistakable sound of a chopper and it flies in front of us. I hear a mega phoned voice say, "Stop the car. Stop the car immediately!" We then hit something on the road. The van went skidding and Johnson lost control, but then it came to a sudden halt. Police cars and CSI vans pulled up in front of us, and a bunch of cops and CSI workers came rushing out. They stayed behind their opened doors and held their guns out, ready to shoot.

"What are you doing? Run it!" I demand.

"Shut the heck up." Johnson said in resignation.

"Johnson, McCann, get out of the car!" One cop or CSI worker yelled.

Johnson glanced nervously around and I looked determinedly out the window.

"I'm not dying today." Johnson states.

"Don't give up on me." I threatened him and pointed the gun I had in my lap at him were the cops wouldn't see.

"We got no choice. Look at those guns." Johnson whispered, trying to persuade me to give up.

"Shut up!" I shout at him, the pressure of the situation catching up with me.

"Get out for the car!" the same cop that yelled at us before demanded impatiently.

Making a split second decision I yell out the window, "I'll give up, but only to Stokes."

I see one person say something to another and see that the person was Stokes, crap he was already here. This wasn't going to work out how I had wanted it to.

"Yeah I'm right here, so give up!" Stokes shouts to me.

"I want to talk to you." I say, trying to salvage any chance I might still have.

"We'll talk," Stokes reassures. "Get out of there!"

Well that won't work either.

"Jason look at me," Johnson said. "Live to fight another day remember?"

"Get out." I say angrily, pointing the gun at him once again.

He looks at it nervously, then yells out the window, "I'm comin' out!" then he slowly opens the door and comes out, keeping his hands up the entire time.

"Put you hands on your head, turn around, and get down on your knees." A cop said. He complied immediately. "McCann get out of the car. Throw the weapon out!"

So they knew I was armed. I had no other option and could see no way out of this so I do as he said. I throw the gun out the window then defiantly step out.

"Hands on your head, get down on your knees."

Just as I was about to say something to distract them all, the first thing that came to mind was putting Johnson in the spotlight, and grab the gun connected to the van a person came up behind me and pushed me to the ground.

"Your in a lot of trouble McCann." The person said as they put handcuffs around my wrists. They then pull me up and I see them doing the same to Johnson. I'm shoved into a police car and Johnson is put in a different one. Once my door is slammed shut I hear and see Stokes and another person discussing what to do with me.

"We can bring Johnson to a jail not far from here, but McCann can't go there. He's too young. What do we do with him?" The person I don't recognize asked.

"Take him to the police station and we'll follow. We can decide there." Stokes decides after a moment of thought.

"Ok." The person agrees. He gets into the front of the police car and Stokes goes to the CSI van. When everyone is in a car, they all pull out a group going in one direction and the rest going in another.

I sit quietly, not wanting to talk to the people who ruined all my plans, and leaned my head on the window, watching as the desert zoomed by. Every once in a while one of the two police man in the car would look into the mirror at me. They were probably wondering why I was so quiet. What did they expect, me to ask about the weather, talk about baseball, have pleasant conversation? Idiots, that's what they all are.

We drove for while, I wasn't sure exactly how long it took, then we pulled into town and then went right to the police station, as expected. All the other cars that followed pulled into the parking lot along with us. Apparently the CSI workers were getting involved too.

The police parked and exited the car and then they walked to my door and pulled me out.

The second I was standing on my own I was surrounded by a small crowd of people. I saw Stokes standing off to the side. Obviously he knew I didn't like him. I scanned the area trying to figure out exactly where I was. This place was diffidently near where I was taken after the freedom fighters meetings was interrupted and we were all taken into custody.

As I looked I saw a girl standing across the street staring at me. When I looked directly towards her, her eyes widened. This confused me. Why would she look so shocked that I was looking at her? It wasn't like she was trying to hide.

One of the policemen behind me shoved me forward, because I had stopped while looking at the girl. I was an extremely stubborn person so they had to pull me inside.

Inside they brought me directly to a back room with several cells, and randomly locked me in one. As they closed the bars I notices the girl again she was standing in the room and the police were acting like she wasn't there. While they were locking the door she held onto one of the bars and leaned forward. I looked between her and the cops, wondering why the heck they didn't yell at her to leave.

"McCann, what are you looking at?" One cop asked rather rudely.

My gaze swung back to them and I scowled. I hated all of them. When I got out of there they would regret everything. Especially bringing me in.

Both men smirked then turned and left for the front room, which was extremely loud. Everyone was trying to talk at once. The door closed with a bang.

I turned to look at the girl again and we both just stared at each other for a minute then I spoke up.

"Who are you and why is everyone ignoring you?" I asked.

She smiled.

"Good you really can see me." She stated happily. I looked at her strangely.

"What are you talking about?"

"So what's your name?" She asked instead of answering my question.

I glared at her.

"You answer first." Like I said, I'm stubborn.

"I'm Andy, Andy Allen." She replies.

For only a second I debate whether or not to give her my name, but since she gave me hers I decide to.

"My names Jason McCann." I finally say reluctantly.

"What did you do to cause such a ruckus?" Andy asked curiously, her head tilting slightly to the side unconsciously.

Getting angry about the situation all over again I reply, "Why should I tell you?"

"Ok chill, you don't have to answer. I'm just naturally curious. It is pretty surprising to see a kid your age being dragged into a police station and stuffed into a cell. Although right now I prefer being in here. It's much quieter." She said evenly.

I understood what she was saying, but it made no difference right now. I was just thinking about how hopeless my life seemed at the moment.

"You didn't answer my first question." I remind her. I didn't want her asking anymore questions about me, so I directed the conversation back to her.

"I can't really answer it, because I don't really know." She said. I looked at her eyes and saw only honesty.

"Well then try." I say, wanting to at least get an idea.

Andy sighed and sat down, I mimicked her. She was outside the cell, and I was inside.

"Ok, I'll try. I do have a few theories…" She started.


	3. Crazy, Ridiculous, and Farfetched

"Well, I do have a few theories. This morning something really weird happened to me. To say it bluntly, no one except you can see me-"

"Wait, what do you mean no one can see you?" Jason interrupted.

"You saw the policemen a minute ago. They acted like I wasn't there, like I didn't exist. That's because they couldn't see. To them I didn't exist." Andy explained patiently.

"Ok, so what are your theories?" Jason said, a confused look on his face.

"All my theories are a bit crazy, but it's all I have right now. My first one is that I am ghost, although that doesn't seem very likely to me. I'm positive that if I were a ghost I would know. I have no memory of what happened right before I was put in this position. My second one is a little ridiculous. I sort of got it from a movie, but it's just as possible as me being a ghost." She said abashed.

"What is it?" Jason asked.

"That I'm in a coma, and having an out of body experience. I know it sounds a bit stupid, but I would much prefer that then being dead. I'm pretty sure anyone would." She explained matter of factly.

"Are those all the theories you have?" He asked, still sounding confused.

"I have one more, but it's even more far fetched then the others and I'm probably going to sound crazy just saying it." She explained.

"So, wait, we have a theory that's crazy, ridiculous, and far fetched. Why don't you just say you don't have a clue what's going on?" Jason exclaimed in frustration.

"Fine if you have any better ideas please share." She invited with her hand out. He stayed silent.

"Exactly, so please let me continue. My third theory is that something paranormal is going on. Oh wait, paranormal has everything to do with ghosts, and I already said that…supernatural, that's the word! Something supernatural might be going on." She said finally.

Jason looked at her like she was insane. She gave him a sheepish smile.

"Sorry, I was thinking out loud." She apologized.

"It's fine. So, are _those_ all the theories you have?" He questioned.

"At the moment, yes. Although there are other things I noticed about my… condition. One of the reasons I guessed I am a ghost is because I can sometimes walk through solid objects," to demonstrate she quickly waved her arm through the bars in front of her, Jason's eyes widened. "But I can't always. It seems as though I can only faze, for lack of a better word, when it won't impact other peoples lives too much. For instance, before I came here, when I was first put in this position, I tried to open a door and my hand went right through the handle, but when I tried to walk through the door I just hit it. It hurt too." She said smiling and holding her nose. Without even realizing it Jason smiled also. "And when I entered this building I ran through the door. I think if I had hit the other door while running people would have noticed it more and gone to see what caused the noise. When I walk into something it is much quieter, and people tend notice it less." She told him. She wasn't completely sure it was true, but for some reason she felt like telling Jason anyway.

"This is too weird." Jason groaned burying his face in his hands.

"You think it's weird for you? At least people can see you." Andy said, eyebrows raised.

Jason looked up and glared.

"I would rather people _not_ see me at the moment. If you haven't noticed I'm in a cell!" He exclaimed angrily

"And whose fault is that?" She asked calmly.

"The police's for catching me." He said in a 'duh' tone of voice.

"No it's you're fault, for doing whatever you did. Don't blame the police. They were just doing their job." She replied.

Jason stood up and started pacing the length of the cell. He didn't meet her eyes.

"I told you about my position, so what's yours? What did you do to get put in here?" she inquired. She knew that now wasn't necessarily the best time to ask, but her curiosity got the best of her.

He sighed and collapsed on the bed inside the cell. Instead of looking at her he looked at the ceiling.

"I did a lot of things." He said finally. His eyes hardened. " And I don't regret any of it. They deserve what they got."

She knew he was getting wound up again, so she decided to lighten the mood a little.

She glared playfully at him.

"That's not answering my question." She said.

He glanced at her and she smiled softly.

"You know I won't judge you because of what you have done. I don't know you well enough to yet." She persisted.

She knew he had to have done something pretty bad to be put in here, but she still wanted to get to know him. Not just because he was currently the only person that could see and talk to her, but she hoped she could see him some how.

He looked her in the eyes again and opened his mouth to speak, but just then the door to the front room banged open and the same two policemen from before came in.

"I suggest you act like I'm not here. You don't want to get thrown into the loony bin." She warned him quickly.

He nodded and looked out the bars above her head, heading her warning.

She stood up and got out of the policemen's way. She didn't want to give Jason a reason to stare at her, and having a policemen walk through her wouldn't help the matter much.

One of them took out some keys and unlocked the cell, and the other went in and grabbed Jason's arm, pulling him out.

/

The policemen who handcuffed me before entered my cell and grabbed my arm. I opened my mouth to demand them to tell me what they were doing, but a look from Andy shut me up.

I would know soon enough anyway.

They lead me out into the front room, which was now considerably emptier, and into a separate room off the side. It had only a mirror in it and a table with a single chair. In other words, it was an interrogation room. I was shoved inside. I noticed that Andy was nowhere in site. She probably stayed away to make this slightly easier and less distracting for me.

"A CSI worker will be here to speak with you temporarily." Was all the policemen said before the door was slammed shut.

I was left alone. I turned around and tiredly sat down on the uncomfortable metal chair, cradling my head in my hands. This was all too much.

First it was getting caught and imprisoned, and now there was a girl that only I could see waiting for me to return to my cell.

Really I didn't mind Andy; in fact she was probably the nicest person I had ever met, although I didn't know her that well. I felt I knew her well enough though. She seemed really bubbly and kind. I just couldn't let anyone get close to me, even if there was a possibility she was dead. If anything that made it worse. I didn't want to make friends with a person who could possibly disappear the next day. Plus in all honesty I had abandonment issues. I would never say it out loud, but it was true. My parents left me, Ralf left me, and Alex left me. As of now I had no one, and I didn't want anyone. They would just leave me eventually, or I would have to leave them. I knew it wasn't Ralf's fault he had to leave, but he still left nonetheless. I wouldn't, _couldn't_, let Andy get close to me. I didn't want to hurt her, and I didn't want to give her a chance to hurt me.

I was interrupted from my thoughts when the door opened once again. I looked up and felt anger boil my blood. Stokes was here to interrogate me. This wouldn't end well.

A/N: I'm sooo sorry. I had this chapter all planed out in my head, but I couldn't put it down well in words. It didn't turn out anything like I had hoped it would. Don't worry the next chapter will be better. I was wondering if I should have part of it from Nick Stokes point of view, but I'm not sure. Tell me what you think. Anyway, I hope you like it well enough. Sorry for all the weirdness.


	4. Interrogations and Brothers

Stokes walked cautiously in and took the seat on the other side of the table, staring me down the whole time. I just glared at him. He seemed unsure of what exactly to say or how to start. After a moment of silence I started getting impatient.

"If your not going to say anything then leave." I demanded, my hands curling into fists on my lap.

His eyes narrowed.

"You must have felt pretty good about your self before we caught you." He said angrily.

"What are you talking about?" I asked in confusion.

"Callin' me like that. Making me believe you were innocent, that you were really trying to help me." He continued on as if I hadn't spoken. "Then you kill your guardian and lead me and three other people into a trap. An innocent man died, a good man, and that's your fault."

"I didn't call you and warn you not to go home because I had alternative motives! I didn't kill my guardian and I didn't set up that trap. I had no idea about any of it until I was given the job to watch you through the security cameras!" I defended.

Stokes' eyes widened in shock when he saw only truth in mine. He had really believed that I had tried to purposely deceive him.

And it was all true. In all honesty I wasn't sure why I had warned him at all. I just did, and when my guardian found out he had hit me out of anger in the face. He said that I was jeopardizing their whole operation with that one phone call. When I was taken from school and brought in to be interrogated, much like now, except it wasn't as intimidating, I wasn't all that surprised. Everything I told Nick that day had been true. I hadn't been trying to trick him. Then my guardian came to pick me up and everything got worse from there. He brought me to a warehouse he owned and once we got there Johnson and some of the others jumped him and killed him. They had said that he was doing his part in the fight. I wasn't stupid enough to believe that. They just used him, much like they were and probably will be used by whoever runs this whole fight. I'm not sure who it is, none of us really knew. We just did what we were told. They gave me the job of making sure that Nick and the others didn't get out after they had set the trap, a job I took reluctantly. But then they had somehow escaped and figured out a way to call and track me, that was all my fault because I had called Nick on my cell phone, leaving Johnson and I scrambling to get away.

"You had to of. Why else would you call me?" Stokes asked, clearly confused

"I don't know why I called you!" I explained, feeling like I was repeating myself. "So can you please just be grateful and get on with your life?"

Some anger flashed in his eyes and he stood up, put his hands on the table, and leaned forward.

"No, unfortunately, I can't 'just get on with my life', because your people are still out they're trying to kill me and my friends. Now you can help us and tell us what they are planning next, or we're going to put you back in your cell." He threatened.

I drummed my fingers on the table in irritation. This was going to be a problem.

"I don't know what their planning next," I admitted. "Since the day I called you they have been very tight lipped around me. I was just helping Johnson make the bombs."

Stokes closed his eyes and heavily sat down back on his chair.

"So you don't know _anything_?" He asked tensely. I could tell he was really hoping he could get some useful information out of me.

"No, and even if I did, which I don't," I added so I wouldn't be bombarded with questions I couldn't answer. "I wouldn't tell you."

He opened his eyes and I saw an emotion in them that I hadn't expected: regret.

"Look," he started. "I know I said I would keep you brother safe, but if my co-workers hadn't reacted when they did then innocent people would be dead. I did what I had to. It's my job."

When he said that I thought of Andy. She had said something close to that only twenty or so minutes ago, but I pushed any kind of forgiveness aside and let my anger take over. I wasn't going to forgive him. He took away the last person I had that I could call family.

"Save it." I spat. "I don't need your excuses."

Stokes licked his lips and leaned back in his chair.

"You know I'm trying to help you here, but if your not going to cooperate then you'll just get in even more trouble." He warned me.

I looked down at the ground.

"I don't think me getting in more trouble is going to make much of a difference now." I replied.

He sighed and stood up.

"It's you choice man." He said simply, then he turned and exited the room.

I was once again left alone.

"So, how did it go?" A voice behind me asked.

I jumped and fell off my chair, apparently not as alone as I though. I got up and looked behind me. Andy was standing up and leaning against the wall, her arms crossed.

"Were you here the whole time?" I asked.

She shook her head.

"No I just came in as the man left, although I did catch the last few words. It seemed as if you knew him. Did you?" She inquired.

I hesitated, but decided to answer her. She had at least tried to answer my questions before.

"He… was the CSI worker that first spoke with me, or really that interrogated me. He made a promise to me that he didn't keep. I hate him, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't like me." I said, making the story much shorter. She didn't need to know the details and I didn't feel like explaining them.

"Ok, so why didn't' you just except his help?" She asked after a minute of thought.

"I don't need his help. I don't need anybodies help." I defended angrily.

"Well I think your just being stubborn." She said bluntly.

I glared at her and she smiled.

"Ah ha, I seems I hit a soft spot." She said triumphantly, pumping her first into the air.

"Why are you doing this?" I groaned.

"I want to help you, but first I have to get through you hard exterior." She admitted.

"I don't have a hard exterior!" I fought her.

She raised one eyebrow.

"Then why don't you just let the man help you, what's his name by the way?" She asked absently.

"His name is Nick Stokes." I answered. "And I don't want the help of the man that is partly responsible for the death of my brother."

She closed her mouth with an audible snap and her eyes widened in shock.

"I'm sorry. I lost a brother too." She said sadly.

I looked at her with curiosity in my eyes.

"What happened?" I asked her.

For a moment I saw pain and anger in her eyes, but she quickly hid it and put up a stony expression.

"He along with both my parents died in a car accident. A drunk driver hit them head on. I was three at the time, and Brandon, my brother, was sixteen. I don't remember him much, but from what I do remember he was the kind of brother most kids wished they had. The kind that would do anything for you." She said with a sad and wistful smile.

"I'm- I'm sorry." I said with regret. I knew how hard it was to talk about these things after they have happened. I didn't mean to resurface painful memories.

"It's ok," she said kindly. "You didn't know."

I looked at her face for a minute. How could she be so nice to me after how rude I had acted towards her?

"How can you be so nice all the time?" I asked her.

She looked me in the eyes again and I was a kind of resigned sadness in them. Not nearly as bad when she had started talking about her family, but still the emotion didn't look right on her face. She was the kind of person that seemed to only ever smile.

"I guess I need to be," she answered. "Or else I'd just be full of anger all the time."

"What do you mean?" I asked curiously. She cringed and walked around the table to sit in the seat Stokes had abandoned.

"At my school kids can be cruel. They don't like me very much. Not because I'm rude or mean to them, but because to them I'm just the outcast from the orphanage, or really permanent foster care house, but that's really just the same thing." She told him.

I looked at her in surprise. She was the kind of girl I would have expected to be popular at any school. She had straight caramel colored hair cut in layers and bright lime green eyes with streaks of blue in them. She was pretty skinny and seemed to walk with a ballerina like grace.

'Oh gosh,' I thought. 'Ballerina like grace? Really? I'm turning into some kind of wuss.'

And the funny thing was that I think it was all Andy's doing, and really it wasn't a bad thing.

She took my look in a different meaning.

"I am happy though. I have a best friend, and several other friends. The kind that are _really_ my friends. It's just annoying having people dislike you for no real reason." She reassured me.

I smiled inside. There she was being too nice again. She was trying to reassure _me_ because she thought I was worried about her.

"What's school like for you?" she asked me.

I thought about it for a minute. Really I didn't pay attention to anything that happened at school. I probably would have dropped out right when I started helping in the whole freedom fight thing, but Huksby made me continue to go so I didn't catch any law enforcement officers attention. Sense they started watching me after Alex was killed. I didn't have any friends because I pushed anyone that tried to get close away. Andy could have gone to my school and I still wouldn't know now.

"It's fine I guess. What happens there doesn't really affect me at all. I don't really care about school. I just sort of endured it." I answered.

She nodded in understanding and put her crossed arms on the table, then she laid her head down on them. She seemed tired.

"What was your favorite subject?" she asked distractedly. Her eyes started drooping.

"I don't know? Science." I said with a shrug.

She gave a small smile. Her eyes were closed now.

"I like reading class and just reading in general." She told me. "My favorite book when I was younger used to be The Little Princess. I liked to imagine that something like that would happen to me. A nice rich family would come and take me away from that blasted foster house, and give me a better life. Never happened though, obviously. Now I read stuff by people like Ted DekKer, Frank Peretti, and James Patterson. Reading is the best."

I laughed quietly. Her drowsiness was making her sentences sound funny, and I couldn't disagree with her last statement more. I hated reading. It just wasn't for me. I opened my mouth to say something else, but stopped when I saw her even breathing. She had fallen asleep.

I was starting to think her first theory was diffidently wrong. I was pretty sure ghosts didn't sleep. This made me happy, because I really didn't want her to be dead. Even though I hadn't known her long I reluctantly considered her my friend.

Hesitantly I held my hand out to push away a strand of hair from her peaceful face, but my hand went right through and I pulled away quickly, not wanting to wake her up.

It was very strange not being able to touch her. It was even stranger not being able to touch her when she was touching something solid and not going through it.

I sighed and laid my head down on the table just like Andy and tried to fall asleep. I was still wound up about what had happened today, but I managed to fall asleep within a few minutes. Gratefully letting the darkness consume me.


	5. Nick Stokes

Nick's POV

I walked out of the interrogation room and leaned my back against the wall with a sigh. That kid could be extremely aggravating at times. I had been mad, no furious at him when I thought he had just been manipulating me to believe he was some innocent kid caught in the cross fire, but now that I knew that wasn't the case I couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

The kid was still a delinquent, but he wasn't as evil and twisted as I had thought he was. In a way I knew how he felt, well not exactly how he felt, but I knew what it was like to have something happen to you when you were younger that completely changed your life. I was positive that if I hadn't been forced to kill his brother that he wouldn't have ended up this way.

Well, I guess there was always the possibility that he would have. He was still mad at the whole government for putting his first guardian in jail, but putting a guardian in jail and having your brother killed are two completely different things. Except that they both take away someone you love. Although I'm positive that Jason didn't love his last guardian, Huksby, even if he didn't kill him. Huksby didn't seem like the most parental person the few times I had met him.

Even though as of now I wouldn't say it out loud, I kind of liked the kid. I now believe he was diffidently more innocent then any of us thought. Not completely innocent, well really not innocent at all, he still killed someone, but not nearly as bad.

I wanted to help him in some way. I believed that if we tried hard enough we could change him, make him see sense, but he was still too angry with me.

I walked over to the observing room, and looked at Jason through the one-way mirror. I figured that he _had_ to know that it was a one-way mirror, because pretty much every kid had seen a movie or show had seen a police station or someplace that had one, but I was surprised when it seemed he didn't suspect it at all. Either that or he hadn't thought of it yet. Last time we brought him in he never took his eyes off the mirror unless someone was talking to him.

It was really weird though, because he seemed to be talking to himself. After a few minutes of him just talking, he held his hand out and quickly drew it back. Then he put his arms on the table, rested his head on them, and seemingly fell asleep.

Knowing nothing interesting was going to happen for a while I opened the door and left, bumping into Catherine on the way out.

She looked at me and raised an eyebrow.

"So how did the interrogation go?" She asked curiously.

" 'How did the interrogation go?' Well let's see: the kid still hates me, he doesn't have any useful information, and he's done a lot less then we thought." I answered with slight sarcasm.

Now both of her eyebrows were up and she was giving me and amused look.

"What do you mean he's done a lot less then we thought?" She asked. As we were talking we were walking slowly down the hall together.

"I mean some of the things we accused him of he didn't do." I replied, the guilt coming of me in waves. Not only was I partly responsible for his brother death, but also I had made him out to be worse then he really was.

"Hey," She said grabbing my arm and stopping us both from continuing. "Don't go beating yourself up about this. It's not that big of a deal, and the kid will still be seeing some prison time. Even if he's not as bad as we had originally though, he's not a good kid either."

I nodded, but what she said didn't make all that much of a difference.

"What's he doing now?" She asked after we walked in silence for a minute.

"Sleepin, and that reminds me. A few minutes before he fell asleep he was talkin to himself. Is that normal for a kid in his position?" I asked slightly worried.

"First of all, while it's not that normal it's not that abnormal either. It could have been caused by stress or he just needed to talk to cover up the silence, and second of all, I don't think it's smart for you to get any kind of attached to someone who happens to want you dead." She reminded me.

"I know that he wants me dead and I'm not getting attached." I assured her.

She looked at me with narrowed eyes for a moment, but then she nodded her head and looked straight in front of her.

"He didn't know anything about what they were planning?" she asked.

"No he didn't. He mentioned that they didn't want to tell him anything since the day he saved my life. I think that they will be delayed now though. When we caught Jason and Johnson we found the bombs they had been making in the back of the van. They're goin to have to find someone else to make their bombs for them now, but I don't think they're going to have much trouble finding someone else. According to the info we got from Johnson, he has friends workin for the same people capable of making bombs." I explained to her, using some of the information I had received before I spoke to Jason.

"Ok, did we get any other information from Johnson? Names, places, anything?" Catherine inquired.

"No, but form what I understand he does know something. He just refuses to tell us." I replied.

Catherin gave me a sly smile.

"Well then we'll just have to change that now won't we?" She asked rhetorically with interest in her eyes.

"Actually you're going to have to change that. I've been instructed to stay here until they figure out what to do with Jason." I said matter of factly.

She gave a dramatic sigh and headed in the direction of the door.

"I guess I'll just have all the fun myself." She said to me over her shoulder as she left.

I gave an amused smile and shake of my head before I turned to go speak with the chief or police.

/

Jason's POV

I woke up slowly. I groaned and used my arms to cover my face when I felt the bright light in the room reach my eyes. I heard someone chuckle and I sat up quickly when I realized it wasn't Andy.

Blearily I looked across the table to see Stokes sitting there. He must have waked Andy up when he sat on her. If Stokes weren't there I probably would have laughed at that image.

"You know it's kind of creepy that you where watching me while I slept." I told him sleepily.

He shrugged.

"I had to speak with you, and you've been asleep for awhile, so I decided to wait until you woke up." He told me.

"What did you want to talk about?" I asked curiously, much more awake now.

He opened his mouth to continue, but at that moment there was a loud "Good Morning!" behind me. I jumped high in my seat and turned around, not even noticing that Stokes was unaffected. Andy was there with her hands over her mouth and she was staring wide eyed at Stokes. She seemed to be trying to hold back laughter at his bewildered expression.

"I'm sorry." She said through her hands, then she turned around and walked through the wall as quickly as she could without it hardening in front of her.

"Are you ok?" Stokes asked me curiously. I turned back to look at him.

"Why would you care?" I asked angrily, trying to distract him from the question and honestly wanting to know.

Stokes held his hands up in defense.

"I was just askin. No need to get all angry." He said in an amused voice.

I just glared at the ground.

"Can you please leave?" I asked, not looking up.

I heard him lean forward.

"Look Jason, they've decided were they're going to place you, but I want you to know that you've still got another option open. If you help us and co-operate you can shorten your time, and even get sent to a group home instead of prison." He explained calmly to me. He seemed to really want to help me.

I looked up at him in surprise.

"Why are you trying to help me? You hate me." I asked him.

Why would he want to help me? I tried to kill him, more than once even. He was being nicer than I had expected, I had expected yelling, and for some reason it annoyed me. He wasn't supposed to be nicer, yelling would have been better. Although I didn't want to admit it, it made thoughts of actually killing him easier.

"I don't hate you, I hate what you've done." He said honestly.

I could feel my anger building up again, making me raise a wall from any help offered to me from this man. He may have hated what I've done, but I hated what he's done just as much.

"I won't help you people. You might as well just send me to prison." I told him with resolve in my eyes. I wouldn't let them control me.

Stokes sighed and looked defeated.

"You know, it was hard just to convince the cops to even give you a choice. If you don't except now there isn't going to be any other chances." He said frustrated.

"I don't care!" I replied angrily. Did he think I was stupid? I knew I was giving up any chance at getting out of jail by declining.

"Ok then. Tomorrow you will be moved to a prison just two miles out of town. You'll be staying in this room until then." He said simply as he got up and left.

I sat back in my chair and waited for Andy to return. I wondered if she would follow me to the prison. She didn't have to and I'm positive it's not going to be fun there, so why would she want to? Even if I'm the only one who could see her right now I still didn't think she would want to go there.

I only had two minutes to think this before she entered right where she had exited. She had a big smile on her face.

"Sorry about before. I hadn't known anyone else was in here. If I had I at least would have yelled." She apologized sheepishly.

"It's fine." I said dismissively.

She looked at my face closely and frowned.

"What's the matter?" She asked.

"They're going to be moving me to prison tomorrow. I'm just not exactly anxious to go." I said the last sentence sarcastically.

"I'm guessing you didn't except Stokes help?" She asked accusingly.

"How did you even know he had any help to offer?" I asked her.

"I heard him talking to the chief of police a little while ago. I got up a lot earlier then you did, although that's understandable. Your day was a bit more stressful then mine." She replied.

"How so. I may hove gotten arrested, but you found out that people couldn't see you and that there's a possibility your dead." I said amused.

She just shrugged.

"I wasn't all that stressed after I met you. You were probably stressed a lot longer then I was, hence the sleeping longer." She explained.

"Why were you less stressed after you met me?" I asked her curiously.

"Because I knew I wasn't going insane, unless we're both insane." She added thoughtfully.

I laughed at her face. She looked was looking at the ceiling with her index finger on her chin. She smiled like she had accomplished what she had been shooting for.

"So why are the CSI workers getting involved in all this? Don't they just come when there's been a murder or something?" Andy inquired.

"I think they're getting involved because they're division is the main focus of the people I had been helping. They want answers." I explained. She nodded in understanding.

I then groaned thinking about the long day and night ahead of me.

"What's wrong now?" she asked.

"Today is going to take forever to be over and I don't think I'll be getting any sleep tonight." I explained.

She looked at me blankly.

"Why won't you get any sleep tonight?"

"I'll be too nervous about tomorrow." I replied.

"Well don't be. It's not like you'll be alone there." She said with another smile.

"You'll really go with me?" I asked incredulously.

"Of course."

A/N: I'm sorry if I didn't do Nick's point of view very well, but it's a lot harder then doing Jason's because his character already has a strong build since he's always on the show. With Jason I can be a bit more creative and add some of my own stuff since he was only on two episodes. He will be in the story more (As one of the main characters. I love him) so if you have any pointers it would be greatly appreciated . I hope you liked it!


	6. Twenty Questions and Explosions

Knowing the metal chairs Andy and I were sitting in would get uncomfortable fast, I got up and sat on the ground with my back against the wall. Andy did the same.

"So what are we supposed to do for the rest of the day?" I asked her, since I had nothing.

Andy looked thoughtful for a second then her eyes lit up and it was like a light bulb appeared over her head.

"Let's play twenty questions. I still don't know you all that well." She said happily.

"Fine, I don't have anything better. Do you want to start?" I asked her with a sigh. Twenty questions sounded sort of stupid to me, but I did want to get to know Andy a little better too.

"Ok, what's your… favorite color?" She asked as the first question.

"Red, you?"

"Gray."

"Why gray? Isn't that an odd color to have as a favorite? Not many people like it." I said with an amused smile.

"That's exactly why I like it." She said simply.

"Have you ever had a boyfriend?" I asked, trying to look innocent.

"Why do you want to know?" She asked right back.

"I'm curious, and we're playing twenty questions, which was your idea." I reminded her.

"I had one once, but he was a jerk. I think I was just his idea of a charity case. I don't need anyone's charity. The relationship didn't last long. I only really said yes to him when he asked me out as a curtsy. When I saw he wasn't serious I dumped him. His face was very amusing when I did." She explained with a short laugh.

"I've never had a girlfriend before," I said before she could ask. "Never been interested in a relationship, and I've never really gotten to know anyone well enough to grow any kind of feeling towards them."

She nodded

"What's your favorite TV show?" She asked as the third question.

"I don't know, The Office I guess." I answered her. I didn't watch much TV, 'cause I never really had a chance; I was too busy, but I did like that show.

"I like King of Queens. Kevin James is one of my favorite actors. The movies and shows he's in are always really funny. I watch one whenever I need a laugh." She said.

"What was it like living in an orphanage?" I asked, and she looked down at her lap.

"It's ok I guess. A bit annoying though because of all the little kids there. The older kids and I are responsible for taking care of them." She said quietly.

"That's not all, you seem sad." I pushed.

She looked back up and her eyes were distant and sad.

"It's not the same, you have to take care of yourself, and no one helps you out. Everyone's bitter because of how they ended up there, and its hard watching all the babies and toddler get adopted. Every time a couple come in you hope and pray that they'll want a kid like you, someone your age, but they always go for the younger kids. If your not adopted by the time your seven most likely you won't get adopted at all." Suddenly she snapped out of it and shook her head. The sadness left her eyes, making them hollow and she attempted to smile, but failed horribly.

I wanted to put my arm around her for comfort, but knew it would be pointless.

"I lived with a guardian. I had two, but I only liked one. The other was terrible. Ralf, my first guardian, was the best. He took my brother and I in when no one else would. He was exactly how I imagined a dad would be, but then he was arrested, for a really stupid reason too. That's how my brother got involved in this whole freedom fight thing, and it ended up getting him killed." I said getting angry all over again. I always got angry when I talked about how Alex died.

"Well, why did you get involved?" She asked me with her eyebrows pulled together in confusion. I was surprised she hadn't figured it out already.

"I couldn't let my brother die in vain." I stated firmly.

"So it was all about revenge! Jason, I'm positive your brother didn't want you to end up in jail." She exclaimed.

I looked her in the eyes and glared.

"Don't talk about Alex like you knew him, and don't talk to me like you have any idea what this is like." I said to her, my voice deathly calm.

She shocked me by glaring back, a look of intense anger on her face. A look I thought I would never see with her.

"I do know what it's like to want revenge. I lost my entire family because some idiot police officer decided to get drunk and drive. I _hated_ the police until I was thirteen years old and I saw how pointless it was to hate them all for what one of them did. I took out my anger out in ways that didn't hurt me or others, I didn't blow up their freaking cars!" She yelled at me.

As she said this I felt all my anger deplete, she did know how it felt. I just acted on what I really wanted to do, and ruined my life in the process.

"I'm sorry." I whispered, not knowing what else to say.

She visibly deflated and leaned limply against the wall.

"It's ok. Let's just get back to the game." She said hurriedly.

"Sure, ummm…" I tried to think of a question that would diffidently not make her sad. "What's your favorite _teen_ book?" I asked finally.

She gave a small smile.

"Beastly." She answered, some of her usual cheerfulness coming back.

We continued asking each other pointless questions until we were well past twenty. I didn't notice the how long we talked until the door banged open once again and Stokes entered with two policemen. These were different form the ones that brought me in. Andy put her index finger to her lips in a warning to ignore her.

"It's time to go Jason." Stokes said gravely, but his eyes were emotionless.

I got up and one of the policemen came over and put handcuffs tightly on my wrists. I scowled even though I had been expecting it. I knew I wouldn't try to run, but they didn't, and even if I told them they wouldn't believe me. Not that I gave them much of a reason to.

"It doesn't have to be this way Jason." Stokes mumbled to me as I exited the room, Andy trailing behind us all quietly.

"You can't save everyone Stokes. You of all people should know that." I said with my usual glare.

He sighed and shook his head.

I was lead through the building, and everyone we passed looked at me like they expected me to suddenly pull some complicated karate move, incapacitate the policemen, magically get my cuffs off, and get away.

Please, I wasn't stupid enough to try.

Once outside I took a long, deep breath knowing I wouldn't be coming back out for a while. We walked across the parking lot and I saw a van on the other side, in the direction we were heading, it was the kind with a big lock on the back.

Suddenly Andy stopped. I saw her in my peripheral vision and I turned my head slightly. Her eyes were wide and full of panic.

/

Andy hadn't been surprised when Nick and the policemen entered the room. She had been keeping track of time and knew it had to be morning. She felt bad that Jason had to go through this, but it was his own fault.

She made a motion that told him to keep quiet and ignore her. She knew he saw it when he kept his eyes on the men in front of them.

After he was hand cuffed and lead out of the room she followed behind them, making sure not to speak so she didn't distract Jason.

As they walked through the building people kept giving Jason some really strange looks. She found it rather amusing.

When the exited the building she was relieved to feel the cool breeze on her skin after being inside a small room for so long. She knew she could go outside if she wanted to, but she didn't want to leave Jason alone.

Beneath the footsteps she heard from the people walking, she could hear a soft and barley noticeable _tick, tick, tick._

At first she was just confused. She didn't know what the sound could possibly of been. It wasn't all that odd, but something seemed off about it.

She froze dead in her steps when she remembered something Jason told her last night.

'_The people I was helping always used bombs. I 'm not sure why, but no matter what, they did. I think they used them because it's one of the simplest things to use, that and it's easy to hide.'_

The ticking was coming from the van. She knew there was a possibility that she was wrong, but she wasn't willing to take the chance.

Jason turned his head slightly to look at her when she stopped. He looked confused at the panic in her eyes.

"Jason I think there's a bomb in the van!" She shouted frantically at him.

He seemed to listen closely, just as she had done only seconds before, and his eyes widened to the size of saucers when they both heard the ticking speed up.

"Move!" Jason yelled. He jumped backwards, knocking Nick and himself to the ground where they both rolled a considerably far distance away. The two policemen accompanying them ran quickly over, thinking Jason was trying to get away, but just as the reached them the van exploded with a loud _BOOM!_

The force of the explosion knocked the policemen as well as Andy down. Car parts went flying everywhere. It was such a mess that it was hard for her to see if the pieces hit anyone.

Only seconds after the explosion all the people from inside came rushing out. There faces displayed shock when they looked at the scene before them.

She got up quickly and looked at what used to be the car. It was now just fragments of destroyed metal. She knew that if Jason and the other had been any closer they would have died. They were lucky the explosion was a relatively small one. Had it been any bigger they would have died or been seriously injured.

One of the people from inside ran to Nick's side and helped him up. Her eyes showed concern and Andy knew that that had to be friends.

"What they heck happened Nick?" The woman demanded. She hugged him tight to show she was relieved to see he was ok.

"I'm not sure." Nick replied, his brows furrowed in confusion. He looked down and quickly got on his knees when he saw blood on Jason's head. Jason's eyes were closed and he didn't move, even when Nick examined his wound.

"Sara, we need to get a doctor or some medics over here quick." Nick told the woman, who's name apparently was Sara, urgently


	7. Strange Tears and Propositions

When Andy shouted that she thought that there was a bomb on the van I immediately listened for any indication that she was right. I heard the ticking of a timer. That showed that whoever made the bomb was an amateur. There were plenty of ways to make silent bombs, or even ones much quieter.

I heard the ticking speed up and knew we had only a matter seconds to get away before it went off. I did the first thing that came to mind.

"Move!" I yelled. I knew they wouldn't listen to me, so I jumped backwards into whoever happened to be behind me, it just happened to be Stokes, making us both roll a ways away from the soon to be explosion. The policemen ran after us. This was good. The farther away they were the less likely it was that they'd die or get injured.

I wasn't sure why all of a sudden I cared about any government workers well being, I just knew I didn't want anyone to die now. The feeling was knew and strange. Usually I wouldn't care, I was numb to the guilt and regret, but now it was different. I didn't know exactly how the change had happened, but I did know Andy had a lot to do with it. She changed my perspective.

Just as they reached us the van blew up, making a horrible and loud booming noise. The parts went flying everywhere and I suddenly felt a searing hot pain in my forehead. Something warm and wet ran down my face, and I was able to recognize it as blood before an overwhelming darkness consumed me.

/

_Nick's POV_

After the explosion I was dazed. That was probably the last thing I was expecting. When Sara was done hugging me, and demanding to know what happened, I looked down and realized that Jason hadn't gotten up yet. I knelt down beside him and tuned his body so that he was facing me. I saw blood running down the side of his face. His eyes were closed and he didn't open them when I examined the wound. I knew that was a bad thing. Whatever it was that hit him, hit him hard enough to knock him unconscious. He could have a concussion, or some serious brain damage. There was a lot of blood. I knew that head wounds always bled a lot, but this wasn't a normal head wound.

"We need to get a doctor or some medics here now. Jason's injured." I told Sara urgently. When she saw Jason's face she nodded and quickly whipped out her cell phone.

While she called 911 I positioned Jason's head on my lap so that all the blood wouldn't be rushing to his head.

"An ambulance is on its way." Sara told me after she hung up. "And I'm supposed to question you when he's safely in the hospital."

I nodded. I didn't have any useful answers, but didn't feel like bringing that up now. They would still need to know what happened before the explosion to see if it will be any help at all. I figured that Jason would have some answers. He knew the bomb was there before the explosion, and managed to get all three of us away in time to prevent any deaths.

He saved my life. Again.

I really owed that kid a lot. I wanted to do something to repay him in some way, but he wouldn't accept anything from me and I knew that. He hated me.

I didn't want to think that he was responsible for what happened. If he was it didn't make sense for him to save us. He could have just made a run for it at the last minute and most likely the two policemen and I would have died and he would have just gotten injured, just like he was now.

His face was deathly pale and his breathing was slowing. I was getting really nervous. The kid looked like crap.

Just as I was getting ready to ask Sara when the medics would be here and ambulance entered the lot. They pulled up beside me and quickly got out.

I watched silently as they gently picked Jason up from my arms and placed him on a stretcher. Before they brought him inside the ambulance they carefully put a bandage on his head wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding. They then loaded him up.

"Is anyone riding with him?" One medic asked.

I looked over at Sara. She gave me a slight nod.

"I'll go." I volunteered.

"I'll meet you at the hospital." Sara murmured as I got into the red and white van.

/

Andy's/Third person's POV

When they medics loaded Jason into the ambulance Andy entered too. She was careful not to get in anyone's way. She sat on the ground in the corner of the van. Just because she was intangible to people didn't mean she enjoyed having someone walk through her or sir on her.

She watched silently as he was worked on. A saline IV drip was attached to him and they tried to clean the wound as best as they could so the doctor could easily examine in once they got to the hospital.

She knew Jason would be ok, but she wanted to cry. By the slightly panicked looks of the medic's faces she knew the situation was very serious.

She was shocked when she felt drips of water roll down her cheeks. She lifted a finger and whipped at her cheek, but no liquid came off. She could feel the tears, but it was as if they weren't really there.

She didn't have much time to ponder on the fact though, because at that moment the ambulance started rolling. It moved fast down the streets and she had to be careful or else she would be sliding all over the place.

She was surprised when she saw that Nick was in the van, but pleased. She knew he cared for Jason even if Jason didn't want to see it. She wasn't sure if Nick even realized it yet.

To her Nick seemed like a very caring person. He probably felt guilty about what he had to do to Jason's brother Alex. She wanted Jason to have someone else out there that truly cared about him besides herself. There wasn't much she could do for him. There wasn't much she could do for _herself._

As the ambulance came to a halt she stood up and followed as Jason was picked up in the stretcher and carried into the hospital.

She stopped though when they entered a room with a sign that said 'NO FAMILY MEMBERS OR VISITORS BEYOND THIS PIONT'. Obviously she could have gone in if she wanted to, but she wasn't sure she wanted to see what they were doing to Jason in there.

Nick had stopped at the door also. He sighed and went out to the waiting room where he sat down noisily on a chair. She knew they would be waiting for a while so she sat down too. She leaned back into the most comfortable position she could, then she closed her eyes and slowly fell asleep.

/

She woke up a while later to the sounds of a whispered conversation. She opened her eyes and saw it was Sara and Nick. They were talking avidly about something and the curiosity got the best of her. She listened in.

"I'm tellin' you I don't think Jason had anything to do with the bomb! When he jumped back into me it seemed as though he just realized what was goin' on. Come to think of in I did hear a soft ticking noise, but I just dismissed it. Stupid!" Nick exclaimed quietly, clearly angry with himself.

"Then why would there be a bomb on the van that was obviously being used to transport McCann? They'd be killing one of their own men!" Sara argued.

Andy could feel her anger rise up as they stood there talking about Jason. She knew he had had no idea about the bomb. She was the one who had told him she thought it was there.

"Maybe…" Nick started thoughtfully. "Maybe they didn't want him to be able to answer our questions. Maybe Jason has information, whether he knows it or not, that the people he was working for would rather him die then be able to tell us." He concluded.

"Well aren't they a nice bunch." Sara said sarvasticly. "Ok, I'll run it by the office, see what they think."

With that she turned on her heels and left the hospital. Nick immeadiatly stated walking towards a room. She followed knowing it was probably Jason's room, when she enetered she was happy to see him looking so much better. He was still asleep, but the color had retuned to his face. She sat down in a chair pulled up beside his bed and waited patiently for him to wake up.

/

Jason's POV

I grew conscous slowly. I could hear the beeping of machines and knew I was in a hospital. When I opened my eyes the white was blinding. M y mind was still fuzzy from whatever the doctor had given me and I couldn't think straight.

There were two people in the room with me. One was Stokes and the other was a woman I had seen, but I didn't know her name.

"Where's Andy?" I asked before realizing my mistake.

"Who's Andy?" Stokes asked confused.

"Never mind," I said hastily. "What happened?"

"Well the van exploded and a piece of shrapnel hit you pretty hard in the head." The woman explained while tapping a finger to her temple. I lifted my hand and felt the bandages. "We called the hospital, they did a minor surgery to get the metal out, and here we are."

"So why are you here?" I inquired

"We have some questions for you and a… proposision." She said mysteriously.

"Ok, shoot." I replied.

"Did you know anything about the bomb before hand?" Stokes asked right of the bat.

"No," I answered honestly. "I just heard the ticking and reacted.

Stoked nodded and looked pointedly at the woman.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" I asked before the asked another question.

"Sara Sidle." She said simply.

I nodded. "continue."

"Do you have any idea why someone from your organization wpuld have planted the bomb?" Sidle asked.

My eyebrows scrunched together.

"No, I don't see why anyone would kill one of there own guys." I responded.

I saw anger flicker in Nick's… I mean Stokes eyes when I mentione being one of there guys. Well sucks for him.

"What was that propsision you talked about before?" I reminded them.

"Well you see-" Stokes started but Sidle interrupted him.

"We want you to go under cover and find out what these 'freedom fighters' are planning."

"What?" I shouted in surprise making Stokes jump slightly. "They' would kill me if they found out and from what you implied before they may have already tried killing me! What makes you think they'll except me back?" I demanded.

"We have it all planned out." Sidle reassured. "we're going to make your realease look real, _and_ it will get you out of prison. The situation id getting far too serious. There are too many risks in letting them go. We need to end in fast."

Stokes just watched me carefully. He didn't expect me to accept, and I was tempted not to, but I thought about what Andy said to me. 'I'm positive your brother didn't want you to end up in jail.' She was right. I was sure of it. Alex wouldn't have wanted this for me.

I wanted to find out more about Andy's situation. I didn't want to believe she was dead and I didn't think she was either, but I wouldn't be able to find out in prison.

"How do you even know I'll continued to help you once I'm out?" I asked stupidly. Darn!

Stokes smirked and answered before Sidle had a chance.

"You'll have on a tracking anklet that you won'y be able to take off, and if you try it shocks you."

I looked between them apprehensively.

"If I'm going to have on a tracking anklet then why not just charge right in when they bring me to their 'hinding place' or whatever you want to call it and arrest them all?" I asked.

"We need answers and if we just bring them in most likely they won't talk, and we can't be positive that all the people working for them will be in one place." Sidle explained.

I sighed angrily in defeat. Andy had better be happy!  
>"Fine," I huffed. "I'll help you."<p> 


	8. Scars

I paced the length of my cell nervously. I had been here for three weeks. Andy just sat on the ground criss-crossed watching me.

After I had excepted Sidle's offer I was told I would still have to go to prison for a little while. They said we had to make it look like someone from my organization bailed me out. I was given two more days in the hospital to recover before I was transported to the prison I am at now.

All the guards knew what I was doing so they went a little easier on me then the other prisoners. The food was horrible and I only ate it when absolutely necessary, or when Andy started fretting too much.

I was actually really glad she was there with me. She made it a heck of a lot less boring. Whenever I spoke to her I had to whisper though, or else the guards and prisoner would think I was insane, and I would have been put in a very bad situation.

I was getting to know her really well and now considered her one of the closest friends I have ever had. I still thought she was a little bit too nice, but I guess that's exactly what I needed. I was used to people rough and unforgiving. Those two words pretty much defined my entire life.

I was extremely nervous about the whole 'undercover' thing I was doing. I was positive I would die a slow and painful death if I were caught. When I told that to Sidle all she said to me was, "Then don't get caught."

While I was recovering in the hospital Sidle and Stokes stayed with me the entire time filling me in on what I needed to do. I think they were also told to stay to make sure I didn't try to leave, but when I brought it up they just changed the subject.

They told me that Johnson would be released too so it wouldn't look odd that I was the only one that got out of prison. Once we were out I was to do what I was told and get as much information as possible. If I had a chance they told me to take pictures and snoop around their files and papers, but only if it didn't put me in danger in any way. Like they really cared if I was in danger.

I spoke with Andy and she and she said she would try and get some information for me. It would be easier for her to listen in on people's conversations considering the fact that they wouldn't know she was even there. That was another reason I was glad she was there. The fact that she would be able to help me calmed me down a bit.

I already had on the tracker anklet Stokes had told me about. It was made of metal and always cold and messy. I hated it, but didn't ever try to mess with it because I didn't want to risk it shocking me.

"Would you please stop pacing? You're giving me a headache." Andy asked pleadingly.

I stopped and looked down at her. She had her hands on her face and her head resting on her knees.

"Sorry." I apologized.

"It's ok. I know you're just nervous. You don't need to be though. You'll be fine." She encouraged. She turned to me with a smile playing on her lips.

"No I won't. Johnson and the others don't even trust me. I won't be able to get anything out of them." I said leaning my head against the wall behind me tiredly.

"Well then, we'll have to get them to trust you without it involving you killing anybody. It might be hard, but I know we can think of something." She said confidently.

"Yeah, sure we will." I replied, not nearly as optimistic. She just rolled her eyes and put her arms around her legs. The sleeve of her shirt pulled back and I saw something that made me stare.

"What is that?" I asked stone-faced. There was a pale line on her skin starting where her sleeve started and seemingly going to the center of her back. I knew it was a scar, but I wanted to know how she got it. Nobody got a scar like that on accident.

She looked at what I was asking about and quickly moved her hands back to her sides. If it was even possible she looked paler and her eyes unfocused. When she finally looked back at me she was unreadable.

"Nothing. I got that when I was messing around at my schools playground when I was younger. Just forget it." She answered softly.

My eyes narrowed at her. Not because I was angry, but because I knew she was lying.

"That's not true." I said shaking my head.

"Let it go Jason." She exclaimed harshly.

"No, if something happened to you I want to kn-" she cut me off before I could finish by standing up.

"I have to go out for a little while. I'll be back by tonight." She mumbled to me without actually looking at me. She walked through the door to my cell and took off running down the hall.

She was gone before I could call after her.

_Andy's POV/ Third Person's POV_

When Andy was outside of the huge prison she stopped running and slowed to a walk. The prison was only two miles away from her hometown and she started in that direction.

Jason had brought up something he didn't want to resurface ever again. She had left in such a hurry because she knew if he had pushed any harder she would have answered him truthfully. She couldn't resist him. But even as she tried to surpress the memory little bits and pieces of it still came to mind.

_Walking home from school by herself… someone grabbing her roughly by the back of her shirt… the white hot burn as a knife slid across her back… the cold dread that settled into her stomach as she got a look at her attacker's face… Evan's face._

She squeezed her eyes shut and brought her hands up to her face. She quickened to a painfully fast run to keep the flashback away.

Before she even knew it she was back in her cozy town. People were milling around and having pleasant conversation, completely unaware of her presence. She recognized a few of the people, but there was only one person she wanted to see at the moment.

She walked down a few blocks to the housing development near her school. She went right to the house with the mocha paneling and red shutters. It was Ria's house. She hesitated going inside. She didn't want to invade her friend's privacy, but after a few minutes she did enter. She needed to see her friend's face.

As she walked into the living room she was surprised to see her friend bawling her eyes out and her mom comforting her.

"Shhh… it's ok. Everything's going to be ok." Her mom said soothingly.

"No, it's not! They said their not even sure if she's going to-" Ria's hysterical words were cut off when her mom interrupted.

"She wouldn't want you to be acting this way. You have to be strong. She would want that." She told her daughter giving her a tight hug.

Andy, not being able to take the emotions in the room anymore, ran back outside. She hugged herself, longing for some kind of physical contact.

The way her friend was acting… she couldn't help but wonder if it was her fault, because of the situation she was in.

If Ria had died she knew she would have been acting the same exact way. It had been weeks before whatever happened, happened, and her friend was still hysterical about it. From what little she could remember Ria might have been there when it happened.

She was glad Ria had her mom to comfort her, but the way they were talking… the way they were talking, made it sound as if she _weren't_ dead.

_Jason's POV_

I sat down on the hard bed in my cell, angry with myself. I hadn't meant to push Andy too far. I just wanted to know where she got that scar. If a guy did that to her, I would kill them. She didn't deserve whatever happened to her.

I heard the door at the end of the hall open up and footsteps heading in my direction. I figured it was just a guard and didn't pay it any mind.

I hoped Andy would be back soon. I missed her already.

"What's up kid?" I person asked from the other side of my cell door. It startled me so much I fell out of my bed and onto the floor.

The person chuckled and leaned closer. I saw that it was him. The person I had been nervously waiting for for weeks.

"You ready to get out of this crap hole?" Johnson asked grinning evilly.

A/N: I want to thank Anonz. She gave me the idea for this chapter and cured me of my writer's block thank you sooo much! I hope you all like it. Hopefully the next chapter will be up by Friday. Thanks to everyone who reviews and favorites. It really motivates me.


	9. Grogan and Johnson

I stayed on the ground as one of the guards unlocked the door and let Johnson in. He knelt down and roughly grabbed my arm. He pulled me up and started to drag me into the hallway.

"Let go of me!" I demanded angrily. I might have to put up with him for now, but I refused to be thrown around like a rag doll. I could walk by myself.

"Well someone's a bit feisty after being in the slammer for a few weeks." Johnson teased.

I yanked my arm out of his grip. I looked over at the guard and by his glare I could tell that he seemed to hate Johnson with a passion. Huh, Johnson must have gone to this prison before. Figures.

"Come on kid. We're leaving." Johnson said sternly. He was giving me a pointed look, and apparently I was supposed to know what it meant.

"Fine, then lead the way." I said holding my hand out sarcastically.

He glared at me and started for the exit, grabbing me by my shoulder on the way. The guard followed us until we were outside. There was a maroon van in the small parking lot that I knew was his.

He went in and sat at the driver's seat, then looked at me expectantly. I was standing right by the passenger door, but I didn't get in. I didn't want to leave yet. Andy wasn't here and if we left now she wouldn't be able to find me again.

"Get in." Johnson said clearly annoyed.

I hesitated, internally I was kicking myself. It was my fault she had left in the first place. I should have kept my mouth shut. That's what usually got me in trouble.

"Jason!" a voice called from behind me. I turned slightly and saw Andy running into the parking lot.

She was going as fast as she could, because she knew what was going on.

"It's ok, get in quick." She said breathlessly. I nodded and climbed in. She went in at the same time and sat down in the back.

"You're one strange kid." Johnson sighed with a shake of his head. I glared out the window. He had no idea.

"So what the heck is going on?" I asked remembering that I was supposed to be clueless.

"Well it turns out that our organization now has some rich big shot on our side and he paid our bail. I'm not sure why he would want to, but I'm sure as hell glad." He explained happily. Wow, I hadn't seen him happy… ever.

"Yeah, I'm not sure why they would want us out either, especially considering they tried to kill me!" I said angrily. Johnson looked at me with his eyebrows raised.

"What are you talking about?" he asked confused.

"They put a bomb on the van that was going to transport me. If I hadn't heard it I would be dead now." I growled.

"Oh yes, Grogan told me about that." He said with a nod. I looked at him like he was crazy. How could he talk about that like it was nothing? They tried to kill me!

"Who's Grogan and why would he do that." I demanded, my hands curling into fists.

"Dennis Grogan is the person we'll be working with from now on, and from what he told me you had some information that we couldn't let the police know. I would think you of all people would understand. You said it yourself that you would do anything to get revenge." He said with a shrug.

"I can't exactly get revenge if I'm dead now can I?" I snapped at him. "And I didn't know anything important. You wouldn't tell me anything."

He simply rolled his eyes.

"Do you have any other questions?" he asked sarcastically.

"Yes, I do. What are you two planning to do? Do we even have plan?" I asked curiously.

"Yes, we do, but you'll just have to wait and see what it is." He said cryptically, and evil grin in place on his face.

"Why can't I know?" I asked annoyed.

"Because you don't need to. At least not yet." He answered simply. "You'll know in time."

"Oh yeah, just like last time? That turned out great." I replied, sarcasm drippy off my every word.

"You're over reacting. We're out now. That's all that matters." He shrugged.

We stayed silent for the rest of the ride and I paid close attention to where we were going. We went back through the town that Andy said she grew up in and went about a mile farther once we were out.

We pulled in at a long driveway that led to an old warehouse. It looked abandoned and seemed to be falling apart.

"This is the best you could do?" I asked huffed incredulously.

"Quit your whining. This keeps us away from the police and those CSI's you made enemies with. No one will bother us here." He hissed irritated.

'Yeah, no one except me,' I thought slyly.

We both got out of the van and I followed him inside. It was extremely dusty and I coughed loudly.

"So you got the brat? Well good for him. Just make sure he stays out of our way." A voice called out menacingly.

A man walked into the room and sneered when he saw me. He had greasy black hair that was slicked back in an Italian fashion and he had on a wife beater tee that he tucked into his jeans, showing off his large gut.

"I won't get in anyone's way, and if you're the person that made the bomb that was placed on the police van, then you could use some of my help. It was way too loud. You make another one of those and you'll alert the entire police force where it is." I taunted him.

He scowled at me and looked like he wanted to beat me to a pulp. Well sucks for him.

"Shut it Jason." Johnson demanded. "Just keep quiet and no one will get hurt, ok?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah sure, I'm guessing your Grogan?" I asked the man.

He gave me a smile that was obviously fake showing off his nasty set of teeth. They had beer stains on them and I could practically smell his breath from where I was standing.

"Yes, it's _nice_ to finally meet you." He held his hand out to shake and squeezed my hand way too tightly when I took it. I shook my hand when he let go so that my blood would flow through it again.

"Yeah, real nice." I mumbled.

Johnson and Grogan both walked into a room off to the side together to discuss their 'plan', leaving me alone. I had absolutely no clue where to go.

I sighed and turned around, almost jumping out of my skin when I saw Andy standing behind me.

"I don't like that Dennis guy. He gives me the creeps." She said wrinkling her nose up in disgust. I laughed, thinking the same thing.

"I couldn't agree with you more." I nodded.

"I looked around while you were talking and there's a room upstairs with a bed in it that's not too dusty for you to sleep in." she informed me with a smile.

"Uh, thanks." I replied attempting to smile back. I wasn't used to other people helping me out in any way, so having Andy around was something I was still getting used to.

We both went upstairs and I saw that she was right. The room had only a bed and a dresser in it, but that was all I needed. We both sat on the bed and she asked the question I was wondering myself.

"So what are we supposed to do now?" she questioned curiously, her head quirking to the side.

"I'm not really sure. I guess we just have to get as much information we can on what they're planning. Then we just tell whoever needs to be told." I answered with a shrug.

She laughed and I realized that her laugh was probably one of the most beautiful sounds I have ever heard.

'What in the world am I thinking?' I asked myself.

"That doesn't sound like a very good plan." She stated teasingly.

I smiled widely and shrugged.

"It's all I got right now." I dismissed.

"Your horrible at this you know that?" she asked amused at my carelessness.

"It's not like people do this for a job." I pointed out to her.

"Uh, yah they do. Under cover cops. Ha!" she shouted triumphantly, happy she had proved me wrong.

"You're really weird you know that?" I asked her with my eyebrows raised.

"I'm _invisible_ to everyone but you. I'd say that's pretty weird, so what's being a little weirder? It doesn't make all that much of a difference." She answered smugly.

A/N: I'm not all that sure about this chapter :(. It didn't end up like I had hoped. I couldn't put what I had in mind into the right words. I hope you like it anyway. Please comment and vote. I really appreciate everyone that does.


	10. Snooping

Andy and I spoke for at least several more hours. Like I had said before, I didn't have an actual plan, but I figured when Johnson and Grogan fell asleep I would go down and look around one of their offices or whatever they considered it, and see what I could find out about what they were planning.

I waited until it was dark outside. There were no lights in my room so it was pitch black. I couldn't even see Andy.

A while ago I had heard both men make their way up the staircase and into whichever room they were using to sleep in. it wasn't hard because the floorboards squeaked horribly. I had to be careful about that when I made my way down.

Right now it was silent except for both of our breathing.

"Andy," I asked. "Would you mind checking to make sure Johnson and Grogan are asleep?"

I could feel her looking at me curiously.

"Sure, but why?" she questioned.

"I'm going to check out some of the downstairs rooms, see what I can find, and I'd rather not have one of them hearing me. They already distrust me enough." I explained.

"'K, I'll be right back, but if I see either of them changing you're paying for my therapy bills." She threatened as she stood up and walked out of the room.

I waited, holding me breath for her to return. I had expected to hear her footsteps, but instead was met with silence. I still wasn't completely used to the whole situation she was in.

I felt kind of bad for her, being so clueless. I felt a painful pang in my chest at the possibility she was dead. That was the main reason I hadn't wanted to be friends with her in the first place.

She seemed so happy and carefree all the time, but now I wondered if it was all just a cover up. I mean, if I knew that I might be dead I would be freaking out.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when she entered the room again.

"They're both asleep. You can go." She confirmed with a nod.

I smiled gratefully at her and slid off the bed. I made my way over to the door, but turned around and asked if she was coming before I left.

"No, that's ok. I'll stay up here so I don't distract you, also I can make sure you don't wake anyone up." She told me dismissively.

I nodded and continued out.

The second I was in the hallway a floorboard underneath me made a loud and long creaking noise. I cringed and stood still for a minute, listening for any sign someone had woken up. When I heard nothing I continued, making sure I watched where I stepped.

The warehouse had no heat and it felt extremely cool inside. Even though it was dark I could still see my breath as it came out in silent wisps.

Everywhere I stepped I could feel the dust on the ground swirl around because of the breeze I created as I walked. My jeans would look all dirty tomorrow, but that didn't really matter. They would have gotten dirty here soon enough anyway.

I stepped as softly as possible as I went down the steps. The creaking was the worst there. I held on to the railing so I wouldn't trip in the dark. My falling down the stairs would have woken anyone up easily.

When I reached the bottom I looked around. I still couldn't see anything so I took out the small flashlight I had snagged from Johnson's van earlier today. It clicked on and I was glad to see that it worked.

I moved it around to each door, trying to decide which one I should look in first in case I didn't get a chance to check out more then one tonight.

After a minute of thought I decided to go into the one that Johnson and Grogan had gone in before. I walked slowly and carefully so I didn't make any other noises and pushed the door open. It groaned on its hinges, but didn't make any other noise besides that.

Inside the room was a mess. There were papers and wires thrown around everywhere. The only furniture in the room was a dark wooded desk, and office chair, and some filing cabinets.

I knew the filing cabinets were new, because it wasn't rusty and appeared to be newly painted, so I went over to it and opened the highest drawer up. I reached inside and pulled some random papers out.

On the papers were information on specific people and one was a map of a building. It had a big X on one spot that was circled in red pen.

The building looked kind of like a school. At the top it read 'Part 1 of Faze 1'.

If they were planning on blowing up a school I was going to have to stop them somehow. I couldn't let them kill all those innocent kids.

The papers with the people's information on them just confused me. Why would they need them at all?

I noticed that all the people had some kind of government job. Ah, so they must be targets.

I took out a small camera that Stokes gave me to use in a situation like this. It was about the size of a quarter and every picture I took was sent directly to a computer at their lab for them to analyze.

I took a picture of each paper, including the map. When I was done that I found a pen on the desk and wrote on a blank piece of paper 'Dennis Grogan?' so they could look him up. He seemed shady to me.

I put the papers back and was getting ready to grab some more when Andy came running in almost giving me a heart attack.

"Quick hide! Both of them woke up and are heading down here now!" she whispered urgently. Her eyes were wide and panicked. She was scared for me.

I dived behind the desk and hid underneath it. The space was small, but I fit in it fine if I held my knees to my chest. I saw Andy standing against the wall wringing her hands nervously. She was biting her lip and watching the door closely.

I heard them coming clearly as they didn't need to try and be quiet like I had. Their hard and ungraceful footsteps thundered throughout the house. The door banged open and they both stepped in, flicking the light on.

"Why didn't you lock the door?" Grogan demanded angrily.

"There was no need." Johnson yawned.

"Yes there is a need. That little brat could have just waltzed right in and read all the information in here! Lock it next time." Grogan barked loudly.

I stayed completely still in my position, not even trying to move, while Andy stepped closer, her eyes darting between the two men.

"I highly doubt he'd be able to connect the dots on this one Grog. I'm still slightly confused about the whole plan." Johnson said, making himself sound like an idiot.

I heard the sound of skin hitting skin and knew Grogan had punched Johnson, probably not enough to really hurt him, but as a warning.

"Don't call me that," he threatened. "And I don't think we should underestimate him. We don't know what he's capable of."

'You got that right,' I thought with a smirk.

"Capable of? All that kid can do is make bombs. We've got nothing to worry about." Johnson answered dismissively.

"I don't care what you say. Start picking up the papers on the floor. Put them in the filing cabinet so I can lock them away too." Grogan demanded.

I cursed him over and over again in my head. How was I supposed to get any information if all the papers were locked away?

I heard them both get on there knees and the shuffling of them gathering up the papers. I could feel my face pale as all the blood drained out of my face in dread. There were a bunch of papers directly in front of me. When they bent down to get them they would have a clear view of my bunched up figure. Crap.

I heard them as they got closer and closer at the side of the desk I was on and I held my breath when I hand came into view.

Andy had her hands over her mouth and she was practically jumping up and down with panic when she realized there was nothing she could do.

As the person got closer I saw it was Johnson. He was muttering to himself and he seemed pissed, but he never looked my way. He just gathered the papers and stood up.

I let out a quiet sigh of relief and Andy leaned heavily against the wall with a small, tired smile.

"Hey Grogan," Johnson called. "Come here."

I froze once again thinking he had seen me. Grogan's footsteps sounded almost menacing, as they got closer. Johnson held up a piece of paper and waved it around in the air.

"What's this?" He asked tauntingly.

"Gimme that!" Grogan yelled angrily, swiping the paper away. He turned around and stormed out of the room and up the stairs.

"Pervert." Johnson murmured under his breath as he followed him. I waited until they shut their bedroom doors shut, then I crawled out.

Andy and I both made our way back to out room as quickly as possible. I didn't want to be down there in case they came back.

After I closed the door behind me and heard it click quietly shut I collapsed on the bed as the night's events caught up with me.

Andy just stood in the center of the room with her eyes wide, like she couldn't believe what had just happened.

"That," she stated shakily. "Was close."


	11. Phase 1, Bombing Guinevere High School

After we both just stood there, or in my case laid there, shell shocked for a few minutes we both burst out laughing. Andy was on her knees and laughing loudly, but I had to quiet my laughs so I didn't attract any attention.

"Did you see that picture Johnson found of Grogan's? It was disgusting." She told me with a giggle.

"No, what was it of?" I asked curiously.

She scrunched up her nose and shook her head.

"You don't want to know." She told me knowingly.

"Just tell me." I all but begged.

"It was of him… doing it." She told me looking grossed.

"Uhg, I don't even want to think about that." I replied agreeing with her reaction.

A wave of lethargy swept over me and we both decided to go to bed. She laid down on the ground and I crawled under the covers. I had offered for her to sleep there instead of me, but she declined, telling me it wouldn't make a difference for her.

"Hey Andy?" I asked remembering something.

"Yeah Jason." She replied, not sounding as tired as I was.

"How did you get that scar on your back?" I questioned determinedly. She didn't answer me last time, but this time I was determined to get something out of her. If someone hurt her I would kill them.

She sighed defeated and looked up at the ceiling.

"It was… sort of stupid in a way. At least the reason behind it was. You know that person I told you about that I had dated for a little while? Well he wasn't happy at all when I bumped him. He said no one, especially a loser like me, ever dumped him, that he was the one that did the dumping. He made me really angry when he said that and I just told him to shove off. He didn't take it very well. One day when I was walking home from school he grabbed me and pulled me into an alley. He had been drinking heavily with his friends and wasn't in his right mind. He-he had a knife on him and, well, I guess you can figure out what happened next." She told me quietly. She effused to look me at me the entire time and when she spoke of whoever the boy was that hurt her she winced. I hated him and I didn't even know his name.

"So you're saying he _cut_ you because you broke up with him instead of it being the other way around?" I asked angrily.

"Um, yes." She answered hesitantly.

"That son of a-"

"Don't Jason!" just forget about it, ok? You freaking out about it won't change anything. He's in prison." she reassured me quickly. She looked kind of panicked, like she thought I was going to punch a hole in the wall or something.

I sat back down on the bed. I hadn't even realized that I had stood up in my anger.

"Thank you." She breathed.

"Why didn't you just tell me before?" I asked her confused.

"'Cause it's not exactly a pleasant memory. I don't like talking about it." She grumbled looking at her hands. "Look can we just sleep? I'm really tired."

I agreed not wanting to upset her even more, but I knew I wasn't going to be able to fall asleep. I had too much on my mind.

I didn't see how anyone could ever hurt Andy like that. She just seemed so… innocent and sweet. She was someone that could always come out of a horrible situation and just think on the bright side.

I looked down at her and saw she was asleep. Her face was peaceful and she was smiling slightly. Her hair was spread out like a fan around her. She looked beautiful.

I felt cold dread settle into my stomach as I realized something: I was falling in love with Andy Allen. I never let myself get too attached to anyone except Alex and Ralf, but just the idea of Andy leaving made me feel depressed.

I sighed despairingly and closed my eyes.

I really wished I had met Andy without this whole mess. Even when this was all over I wasn't sure what to do to help Andy. I fell asleep thinking of all the other possibilities for Andy besides her being a ghost or whatever. Anything so that she could somehow go back to normal.

/

"Get your lazy butt up, kid!" I heard Johnson yell as my door burst open.

I groaned and pulled my pillow over my head, but he grabbed my blanket and yanked it off me. I yelped and jumped out of the bed when the cold air hit my skin.

"What's your problem?" I demanded as I pulled on a sweatshirt. Andy wasn't in the room so I figured she must have woken up before me.

"Oh, don't throw a hissy fit you little prat. We have work to take care of. Now get ready or else I'll get Grogan to come in here." He threatened airily as he turned and left me alone.

I sighed angrily and did as he had told me. I quickly showered in a dirty old bathroom with no warm water and changed into cleaner clothes. When I went down the stairs I saw Andy standing there waiting for me. She had her hands behind her back and she was rocking on her feet looking bored out of her mind. When she saw me her face lit up with a huge smile that made my heart stutter. She made a shushing motion with her finger and inclined her head down the hall where Grogan stood watching me with a calculating glare.

I looked into his eyes and didn't look away until he turned and entered into another room. I wouldn't look weak in front of him. I didn't have a chance to speak with Andy because Johnson cam in and grabbed my shoulder. He pulled me outside and shoved me into the van

"Where are we going?" I asked as he climbed into the driver seat. He had put me in the back so I knew Grogan was going too.

Just as I thought that Grogan pulled the van's back doors open and placed a huge bomb in the back with me, an evil smile on his face.

"You don't need to know yet." He answered for Johnson.

Andy climbed in quickly before he closed the doors and sat down next to me, eyeing the bomb with distaste. There were no seats in the back so we both had to sit on the ground of the van.

Johnson drove for a little while and for some reason Andy started to get really antsy. When we finally stopped both men got out and Grogan grabbed the bomb while Johnson pulled a small phone out.

"What are you guys doing?" I asked curiously.

"I'll explain when Grogan gets back." Johnson explained simply. It didn't take Grogan long; he was back within a few minutes. I wasn't sure where we were. I was still sitting in the back with the doors now closed.

"Explain." I demanded.

"We're insinuating 'phase 1' of our little plan. The idea is to get everyone freaked out and put a lot of focus on this little town here, so what we did is plant a bomb and Johnson's going to call in a bomb threat through a untraceable phone so they'll try and get out before it explodes, but it will be too late by then." Grogan explained with a sick typed of anticipation.

"Where did you place the bomb?" I asked grinding my teeth.

"Guinevere High School." He answered as Andy froze and looked at him in horror.

"You're going to kill a bunch of kids?" I yelled in disbelief.

"Shut it brat! It will be worth it in the end." He dismissed.

"This is messed up!" I fought angrily.

"That's it, kid. You're staying in the van for this. Leave and I put you in an orphanage." Johnson said as he closed the van door. I watched as he and Grogan walked away and disappeared as they rounded a corner.

"Jason, you have to do something! That's my school." Andy said frantically. I looked at her shocked, but I shouldn't have been surprised. We now lived right near her town after all.

I had already decided I was going to try and do something, but Andy's panic cemented that. I would do it for her.

"Come on I think I know where the bombs hidden." I said as I opened the back door. They hadn't even locked it.

We both got out and sprinted to the school, which was only about a block away. I went right into the school without hesitation. The halls were empty at the moment, but Justas I took my fourth step in the alarm went off. A voice said over the loud speaker that it was not a drill and that everyone had to be evacuated immediately. Students and teachers spilled into the halls and within seconds I was lost in the crowds. Everyone was going in the opposite direction I was so it was extremely hard for me to move more then a few feet.

"Dude," a boy said when he realized what I was doing. "You got to get out. There's a bomb in here."

"Yeah, but I have to get something.' I replied dismissively. He just looked at me like I was insane and continued on. I couldn't see Andy, but I knew she was following me.

I finally got out of the crowd when I reached a hall that was empty. Everyone must have gotten out that had been in these classrooms.

I took a deep breath and sighed as I closed my eyes, trying to remember the map I had seen last night. I realized which hallway I was in and knew the X had been in it. I was sooo lucky.

I looked around and saw a bathroom. Bingo. That's where Grogan had hid it. It was so predictable. I went in and turned in a circle, looking for a vent. When I saw one I went right under it and used a trash can to stand on so I could reach it.

I pushed it open and pulled myself up so I could pear inside it. The bomb was right in front of my face, blinking as it counted down. There was only one minute left. Crap.

I examined it closely and saw that it was a simple bomb. One I knew how to make with my eyes closed. It was simple, but effective. I wouldn't be able to get away in time before it exploded, so now my life depended on me defusing it along with about three hundred other kids.

I looked at the wires and was relieved to see they were each a different color. That would make this way easier. I looked carefully at each one and after a second of thought I pulled the orange one off, and reconnected the red and blue wires.

The bomb died and the blinking stopped.

"Yes!" I yelled triumphantly, jumping a little. I had forgotten that I was standing on a trashcan and it fell under me. I crashed to the ground, hitting my head on the marble floor.

"Ow," I said simply as I propped myself up on my elbows. Andy was standing over me.

"You did it! If I could I would kiss you right now!" she exclaimed jumping up and down happily.

A huge smile spread across my face.

Those words made it all worthwhile.

**A/N: I hope everyone likes the chapter. I just wanted everyone to know that Evan, the person who hurt Andy will be showing up in the story again. It's not just a filler. Also I have a question: How do you get a story onto the watts hot list? One o mine was for a little bit, but I'm not sure exactly how it got there. Someone please help me! I feel like an idiot. Anyway, please comment and vote! I love everyone who does (No homo)! Thank you all!**


	12. Grogan's Anger

Johnson's POV

After Grogan and I ditched the brat we both headed to an abandoned alley way a few blocks down. I wasn't sure what the kid would do, but if he ruined this he would be a dead man.

There were a lot of people spread out all over this state preparing for one blow that would completely change our country. I didn't understand the plan all the way, Grogan was the one with all the ties to the center of the organization, but that didn't really matter. I just had to know what _I _had to do, simple as that. I didn't like it when my life was too complicated. I didn't need it.

I took out the untraceable cell phone we got and called in a bomb threat to the school. The response was immediate. We could hear the alarm as it went off and the rising sound of around three hundred little demons as they tried to get away before it was too late.

"How long until it goes off?" I asked Grogan who looked like a kid at Christmas. I knew he was a cruel man, but to be exited about killing a bunch of kids was down right evil. I wasn't a caring person… ever, but I didn't take any joy in murder. I did it for my country, that and I hated almost all government workers.

"About a minute or so more." He replied distractedly.

The bomb was a very simple one, since neither Grogan nor I could do anything too intricate; that was Jason's forte, so if the bomb squad got there in time they could have easily dismantled it. That's the main reason we set the bomb to explode so soon, that and we were supposed to make sure someone died.

Five minutes later nothing had happened. There had been no deafening _BOOM, _or screaming children, just the sounds of police sirens as they got closer and closer. Soon the friggin bomb squad would be there and it would all be over.

"Why isn't it going off?" Grogan exclaimed kicking the brick wall beside us in his frustration.

"I don't know man, but I'm getting outa here. We're gonna look real suspicious just standing here when the police arrive. I'm not going back to prison." I said looking around the street nervously.

"Fine, let's get back to the van. If the kid had anything to do with this I'm going to strangle him." He growled as we both ran back to my red van.

Grogan yanked the door open and looked inside to see if the kid was in there. Whatever he saw made him even angrier. I went around to the other side and went in. Jason was sitting in the back looking a little breathless, but he was still there. Grogan had probably wanted to pound on him, now he had no reason to.

"So how did it go?" Jason asked trying to sound casual. I stayed silent and Grogan sent him a death glare. He just smirked.

"I'm guessing not so great." He mumbled under his breath.

Grogan reached back and grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling Jason to his face.

"You think this is funny? This is a major set back and your smirking about it? I thought you wanted to get the people who _murdered_ your brother back! Start taking this seriously!" the man yelled at him. The kid shoved his hand away and glared sullenly at the van's side.

"How did the bomb not work? It was set perfectly! Someone had to have messed with it." Grogan ranted as I pulled the van out of it's spot and headed back to where we were currently staying. He was looking at Jason pointedly through the front mirror, but from what we knew the kid stayed in the van the whole time.

"Just shut up, ok? We can't change anything. We'll work out a new plan." I barked at him. He turned his glare to me.

"We can't 'work out a new plan'. This plan has been set for months! About a hundred people are working their parts in it as we speak! It's too late for a new plan. We just won't be in the big picture. We're failures." He glowered.

I noticed Jason was listening very carefully to what Grogan was saying. I knew he was curious about what the whole plan is, but I don't see why it's so important to him. Maybe Grogan was right. We should watch the kid closer.

He turned away form the view of the mirror and seemed to be mouthing something. That kid was extremely odd sometimes. When he noticed me looking he glared and moved away, so I couldn't see him unless I tuned around. Again: odd.

Nick's POV

Sara and I were driving down to Guinevere High School to see if we can get any fingerprints from the bomb that had been placed there. Really we already knew who planted it. We got that much from the pictures Jason had taken. We were just too late to figure out when it was going to be placed.

I wasn't all too sure about having Jason going undercover at the moment. It seemed too dangerous for a kid. And this just proved it. None of us were a hundred percent positive why the bomb didn't go off, but I suspect that Jason had something to do with it. That was one of the reasons I didn't bring my unease up with Grissom. Jason was actually really helping people by doing this.

We didn't get much form the pictures Jason sent us besides what we found out about the bomb from the map. All the people did have a connection though. They all worked at the white house, but we couldn't figure out what that had to do with anything.

"Ok, we're here." Sara said as she pulled into a school parking lot full of police and bomb squad vehicles. We both unbuckled and climbed out.

"Where's the bomb?" I asked, as we got closer to a group of people. They gestured inside the building and from then on we just followed the flow of people. The only reason they were there was because of the bomb so naturally that's where they would be heading.

The bomb was inside a vent in a boy's bathroom. It was still inside because everyone had been instructed to leave it alone. I walked up a small ladder that was placed underneath it so I could get the fingerprints.

The moment I looked at the bomb I knew something was wrong with it. One wire, the orange on, was disconnected and the red and blue ones were in the wrong connecters.

"Hey Sara!" I called down. "I think someone dismembered this bomb, either that or whoever made it's and idiot."

"Just get the finger prints and we'll know." She replied impatiently.

Once I had used the powder and gotten the fingerprints on the tape I went back down and Sara and I left. That was all we were sent to do.

_*At the Lab*_

"Yup," Greg confirmed. These are Jason's fingerprints and one other person's that not in the computer. But I think you should know, if what you told me was right, that Jason's fingerprints are only on the wires that were used to dismember it, so that means he stopped it from exploding."

"Wow, that kids doing way more then I had expected." Sara praised approvingly.

I was just as shocked as her. I thought Jason was just doing this so he could get out of prison, but now I wasn't so sure. He didn't have to stop the bomb form exploding, he could have just let it go and we couldn't have complained. We wouldn't have known he had a chance to try anyway.

I was beginning to think I didn't know Jason as well as I had originally thought. He seemed like he was really just a good kid who got caught in a bad situation.

**A/N: Hey everyone who's reading! I NEED YOUR HELP! I have the big picture of this story put together, but I need something that could happen with Andy and Jason in one of the next few chapters. PLEASE tell me if you have ANY ideas. I desperately need them!**


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